See how different plants that grow in Toronto (AgCanada hardiness zone 6; USDA zone 5) look all year round and at different stages in their life cycles.

Thursday, March 19, 2009

Aquilegia: first growth

Aquilegia, known in English as "columbine" and in French as ancolie, is a genus of perennials native to the northern hemisphere. They have very pretty delicate three-part scalloped leaves, and unique flowers, usually with long spurs.

I'm not sure what type of columbine this is, as it just volunteered last year and hasn't bloomed yet. (Even without flowering, it contributes to the garden as a foliage plant, in my opinion.) This is the first year I've paid attention to the very early spring growth of columbine; what a pleasure to see these very pretty purple rosettes coming up!